Lubbock, TX -
The Red Raiders (8-5) host the Miners of UTEP (9-3) from El Paso, Texas on Saturday at 1 PM in the United Spirit Arena.

Saturday's game can be seen on ESPNU. Dave Armstrong will call the play-by-play. Stacey King will provide the game analysis.

Mark Finkner will call the courtside action along with Corky Oglesby as analyst on the Texas Tech Sports Network local stations KQBR-FM 99.5 and KKAM-AM 1340.

Texas Tech and UTEP are meeting for the forty-eighth time since the series began on January 9, 1931. The Red Raiders lead the series 34-13. Tech has a 20-4 edge when the teams have played in Lubbock and a 14-9 margin in El Paso.

Last season, the Raiders defeated the Miners 94-77 in El Paso. In the November 25 game, the Raiders had a 48-34 halftime lead and outscored the Miners by three points in the second half for their fifth win of the 2006-2007 season. Stefon Jackson led the Miners with 20 points, Maurice Thomas dropped in 16 points as Marvin Kilgore and Malik Alvin each added 10 points. The Red Raiders were led by Jarrius Jackson's 31 points. Martin Zeno scored 28 points and Darryl Dora added 17 points.

UTEP is 9-3 for the season and has won five of their last six games. The Miners lost in overtime to New Mexico in their last game, 86-85. Their top three scorers are averaging 50.3 points per game. Stefon Jackson tops the trio with 24.8 points per game. Randy Culpepper is averaging 12.9 points per game and Marvin Kilgore has been dropping in 12.6 points per game.

Texas Tech has won their last two home games. On December 29, the Red Raiders topped Northwestern State (95-71) and then edged Lamar on New Year's Day, 79-77.

The Red Raiders held a five-point halftime lead against the Lamar Cardinals,
41-36. The score was tied once in the second half as Texas Tech edged Lamar, 79-77. Four Lamar players reached double figures: Nwevo, Dawkins, and Barrow each scored 11 points with Lamar Sanders lead his team with 13 points.

The Red Raiders had three players in double figures with Martin Zeno leading the way with 28 points. John Roberson scored 21 points and Alan Voskuil added 16 points. Texas Tech had two players (Zeno and Roberson) each score twenty points for the first time since February 28, 2007 when Jay Jackson scored 26 points and teammate Jon Plefka scored 22 points in the 85-74 win over Baylor at the United Spirit Arena.

The UTEP Miners will be final non-conference opponent for the Red Raiders in the 2007-2008 season. Texas Tech begins conference play at Oklahoma State on January 12 and then return to the United Spirit Arena against Texas A&M on Wednesday, January 16.

Be part of the exciting nine home games the Red Raiders will play this season at the United Spirit Arena. To become a season ticket holder or to purchase tickets for Men's Basketball games at the United Spirit Arena, please call (888) GO-BIG-12 or (806) 742-TECH or stop by the Texas Tech Athletic Ticket Office in the north end of Jones AT&T Stadium.